Musical instrument



July 30,1 J. H. HAMMOND, JR 1,722,931

MUS ICAL INSTRUMENT Original Filed Oct. 8, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l H NW J TTIJRNE Y July 30, 1929. J. H. HAMMOND, JR

MUS I CAL INSTRUMENT Original Filed Oct.

8, 1925 2 Sheets-$heet Patented July 30, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Application filed October 8, 1925, Serial No. 61,270. Renewed March 22, 1929.

This invention relates to improvements in musical instruments and more particularly to the improved control of tone shading and musical dynamics.

Broadly stated, it is one object of the present invention to provide an improved stringed musical instrument of the pianoforte type, and the invention has particular reference to a system of tone shading whereby improved control of tone may be effected.

I have found that in producing musical tone from a tuned string by percussion, the quality of sound when the string is struck with full force within limits of ordinary operation is considerably better than when lightly struck, probably due to the production of a larger number of harmonics or overtones which increase the brilliance of tone. In a prior application Serial No. 753,558

(Case 391) filed December 3, 1924, relating to improvements in musical instruments I have disclosed a system of tone modulators for a piano by means of which the volume of sound emitted from the piano may be carefully regulated independently of the force of percussion and by means of which music of increased brilliance may be produced. I have discovered that it is highly advantageous to insulate the body portions of an instrument of the type disclosed in said prior application, so that the proportion of uncontrolled sound and of sound leaks may be in such ratio as to represent a relatively small fraction of the minimum tone emitted from the instrument. By thus limiting the uncontrolled sound, improved shading and sensitive control of musical dynamics are obtained, together with brilliance of tone.

More particularly, it is the object of the present invention to provide an improved instrument for obtaining these desirable effects, to reduce the volume of uncontrolled sound, and to control the emitted sound.

Other objects will appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a plan view of so much of a piano embodying features of the invention as is necessary to an understanding thereof;

Figure 2 is a front elevation partly in section of the piano of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view of one portion of the mechanism shown in Figure 2, taken on line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of Figure 2; and

' Figure 5 is a detailed view of one of the tone control elements of Figure 1.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

In the following description and claims, parts will be identified by specific names for convenience of expression, but they are intended to be as generic in their application to similar parts or equivalent construction as the art will permit.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a grand piano 10 having for the purpose of producing sound a plurality of tuned strings such as 11 tuned to the notes of the musical scale. It will be understood that there may be provided for each note of the musical scale one or more of such strings as may be desired. For example, in the lower part of the scale a single string may be employed; in the upper part of the scale three strings may be employed for each note, and in an intermediate part of the scale two strings may be employed for each note. The strings 11 are mounted in a usual frame 12 in a conventional manner. For vibrating the strings of each of the notes of the scale by percussion there is provided a suitable hammer action such as 13, each operatively connected to one of the keys 14 respectively, of the manual of the piano. The strings are positioned within a casing 15 which is mounted on a plurality of feet 16 so that the manual comprising the keys 14 is positioned at a convenient height above the floor. Below the manual and secured to the lower wall of the casing 15 there is provided a pedal block 17 upon which there is positioned a plurality of pedals, shown three in number, as at 18, 19, 20. The two right-hand pedals as seen in Figure 2, designated respectively 19 and 20, are connected to the sostenuto and loud pedal actions of the piano in a conventional manner and having no bearing on the present invention, need not be further described.

The left-hand pedal 18 is pivotally mounted in the block 17 and at its rear end is operatively connected to a vertically reciprocating rod 21, the upper end of which engages one arm of a pivoted bell crank lever 26. The arrangement is such that when the front end of the pedal 18 is depressed by the musician the rod 21 is raised and the bell crank lever 26 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction as seen in Figure 2. A spring, such asa shaft 32. The shaft 32 is journalled in spaced bearings 33, 34 mounted upon the casing 15 of the. piano and extends through the casing to the upper portion of the piano. The shaft 32 is provided with a fixed collar 35 for maintaining the shaft in predetermined longitudinal position with respect to its bearings. An arm 36 is affixed to the shaft below the lower wall of the casing 15 and is pivotally connected at its outer end to'a link 37 to one end of a reciprocating connecting rod 38. Similarly there is secured to the shaft 32 near its upper end an arm 39'the outer end of which is pivotally connected by means of a connecting link 10 to a reciprocating-connecting rod 41.

The casing 15 of the piano is provided with oppositely disposed controllable apertures as at 50, 51 and boundary walls 52 intermediate thereof. Mounted in the upper aperture is a series of modulating reflectors as at 53, therefor, serving to control the emission of sound. Each reflector 53 is preferably in the form of an elongated, flat member pivotally mounted to rotate about its lon gitudinalaxisf As illustrated in Figure 5,

each of the reflectors comprises a framework 54 formed of wood or the'like and having cut therein a plurality of spaced, elongated recesses or openings, such as 55. The openings 55 are filled with a sound absorbing material such as felt, wool, grass or sponge rubber, and there is fastened to each sideof the framework 54 a sheet of veneer 56 made of a thin strip of wood. Each lateral edge of each reflector is bevel cut as at 57, 58 and there is secured to one of the edges 58, a layer 59 of soft resilient felt covered by a strip of flexible leather 6O.v On the inner face of the reflectors is secured a sheet of sound reflecting material 60 formed of sheet aluminum or the like. d V

The casing 15 includes a wall surrounding each of the apertures and skirting the respective aperture of like construction, the upper wall, being indicated as at 61, comprising two spaced layers of veneer such as 62, 63. These layers enclose a mass of'sound absorbing material such as felt, wool, grass or sponge rubber; One edge of the wall 61 against which the contiguous closure 53 abuts is provided with a layer of'soft resilient felt64, covered by a strip of flexible leather 65. The intermediate boundary walls 52 ofthe casing include spaced sheets ofveneer 70,71enclosi1ig a layer of sound absorbing material of felt,

the listener.

of the upper series of reflectors are pivotally connected to the upper connecting rod 11.

The upper series of reflectors 53 are mount- 7 ed in the upper aperture 50 and when the upper connecting rod ll is moved to the right of Figure 41 the upper closures effectively close the upper aperture 50. Similarly there is mounted in the lower aperture 51 a second series of reflectors of like. construction and adapted to control the emission of sound through the lower aperture. The construction of the lower group of reflectors corresponds to that of the upper group and the outer ends of the arms 73 of the lower group are pivotally' connected to the lower connecting rod 38. 1

' In operation, themanual of the piano is employed by the musician in the usual way to cause vibration of the strings in accordance with the music being played. In orderto produce a desired effect the pedal 18 is depressed to a desired extent. Downward movement of the pedal 18 causes the rod 21 to be moved upwardly so as torotate the bell crank lever 26 against the tension of the spring 28 in a counter clockwise direction as seen in Figure 2. The connecting link 30 and the connecting rods 41 and 38 are moved to the right and thus the reflectors .53 of the upper group of reflectors are rotated in a clockwise direction and the reflectors of the lower group are rotated in a counter clockwise direction. Assuming that the pedal 18 has been fully de pressed, the reflectors are'thusadjusted into the fully closed position with the respective apertures closed. The sound produced by the strings 11 is thus effectively retained within the casing of the piano 15 and little or no musical sound is emitted. Then it is desired to emita portion of the sound produced by the strings, the pressure is partly taken ofl the pedal 18 and the spring 28"causes the pedal to be raised to the extent determined by the musician. The reflectors 53 are thus caused to be partially opened and increases the amount ofmusical sound emitted from the instrument. Vfhen it is desired to emit a still greater proportion of the sound, the pedal 18 is moved upwardly to a greater degree .and the reflectors 53 take for example the position indicated in Figure 4, thus causmg a marked increase in the amplitude of tone. The-reflecting surface 60 greatlyim provesthe control of he tone with respe ctto The performer is thus enabled to adjust the o )enin with ver reat accurac and to con- L: b

trol the volume of sound. 7 he music may 7 be rendered with wider variations of expression than hasheretofore been possible and more agreeable effects may be produced.

The invention upon which this application is based is broader than the specific embodiment shown and described for the purpose of illustrating at least one of the ways in which it may be employed. The scope of the invention is therefore to be understood as not being limited by the present specific description. I intend no limitations other than those imposed by the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a musical instrument, a casing, a plurality of sources of sound within the casing, means for actuating said sound sources by percussion, and a plurality of modulating reflectors positioned in openings in said casing for controlling the emission of musical sound therefrom, said casing and reflectors being formed of a. layer of sound absorbent material encased in layers of wood.

2. In a musical instrument of the percussive type, the combination with strings, of a casing having oppositely disposed controllable apertures, and modulating reflectors serving as closures for said apertures respectively, said casing and reflectors being formed of a layer of sound insulating materials between two layers of sound conducting material.

3. In a musical instrument, the combination with means for producing sound by percussion, of a casing enclosing said means formed of layers, at least one of said layers being of a material which is a non-conductor of sound, and means for emitting sound from within the casing at the will of an operator.

4. In a musical instrument, a casing having apertures, reflecting elements mounted in said casing to rotate on their longitudinal axes respectively and arranged to control the extent of opening of the apertures, each of said elements having its lateral edges beveled to conform to the configuration of the contiguous edges of adjacent parts and having at least one lateral edge provided with 21. facing of sound absorbent material.

5. In a musical instrument, a casing having apertures, modulating reflectors mounted in said casing to rotate on their longitudinal axes respectively and arranged to control the extent of opening of the aper tures, each'reflector having its lateral edges beveled to conform to the configuration of the contiguous edges of adjacent parts and having at least one lateral edge provided with a facing of felt, and a layer of leather over said felt facing.

6. In a piano, the combination with a piano, of a plurality of modulating reflectors for the casing of the piano for variably controlling the intensity of sustained notes, each of said reflectors including a layer of sponge rubber and coverings of veneer over said layer, for suppressing the musical sound.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this 7th day of October A. D. 1925.

JOHN HAYS HAMMOND, JR. 

